2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV Owners Manual

Weight cat-
egories Size cate-
gory Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order num-
ber
Colour
code: 9H95 C – – – –
Category I:
9 to 18 kg
D – – – –
C – – – –
B – – – –
B1 Britax Römer DUO plus 03 301133
04 301133 A 000 970 11
00 A 000 970 16
00 04 301133 A 000 970 21
00 A – – – –
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are travelling in the vehicle, they
could:
R open doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
R exit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are travelling in the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for:
R the rear doors (Y page 71)
R the rear side windows (Y page 71) G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. 70
Children in the vehicleSafety

G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is placed in direct sunlight, the parts could become very hot.
Children could be suffer burns by touching
these parts, in particular on the metallic parts
of the child restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you and your child leave the vehicle, always
make sure that the child restraint system is
not in direct sunlight. Cover it with a blanket, for example. If the child restraint system has
been exposed to direct sunlight, leave it to
cool down before securing the child in it.
Never leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the
vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow :.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;.Override feature for the rear side win-
dows
X
To activate/deactivate: press button:.
If indicator lamp ;is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the driv- er's door. If indicator lamp ;is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Pets in the vehicle
71Safety Z

Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 72)
R BAS (Brake Assist System) (Y page 73)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (distance
warning function and adaptive Brake
Assist) (Y page 73)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 73)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 76)
R ESP ®
(E lectronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 76)
R EBD (electronic brake forcedistribution)
(Y page 80)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 80)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 81)Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. Driving safety sys-
tems are merely aids designed to assist driv- ing. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and forbraking in good time. Always adapt your driv- ing style to suit the prevailing road, weather
and traffic conditions and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-
fully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tyres and
the road surface. Pay particular attention to the information regarding tyres, recom-
mended minimum tyre tread depths etc. inthe "Wheels and tyres" section
(Y page 352). In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi- cle when braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 72). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid- ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 289) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 255).
ABS works from a speed of about
8 km/hupwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even when you only brake gently. 72
Driving safety syste
msSafety

Braking
X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit- uation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions; this serves
as a reminder to take extra care while driving.
Off-road ABS An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off- road program is activated (Y page 205).
At speeds below 30 km/h the front wheels
lock cyclically during braking. The digging-in
effect achieved in the process reduces the
stopping distance when driving off-road. This limits steering capability. BAS (Brake Assist)
General notes BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking. Braking X
Keep the brake pedal depressed firmly until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST consists of
the adaptive Brake Assist and the distance
warning signal, which are described in the
following.
Distance warning function Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident. Driving safety systems
73Safety
Z

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation; do not rely on the distance warning
function alone.
Function X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning function in the
on-board computer (Y page 244).
When the distance warning function is deac-
tivated, the æsymbol appears in the mul-
tifunction display in the assistance graphic
display.
The distance warning function can help you to minimise the risk of a collision with a vehicle
ahead or reduce the effects of such a colli-
sion. If the distance warning function detects
that there is a risk of a collision, you will be
warned visually and acoustically. Without
your intervention, the distance warning func- tion cannot prevent a collision.
The distance warning function issues a warn-
ing at speeds:
R of around 30 km/h or more, if, over several
seconds, the distance maintained to the
vehicle travelling in front is insufficient. The · distance warning lamp then lights up
in the instrument cluster.
R of around 7 km/h or higher, if you very
quickly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound,
and the ·distance warning lamp will
light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause the system to display a
warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the distance warning function can detect obsta-
cles that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time. Up to a speed of about 70 km/h, the distance
warning function can also react to stationaryobstacles, such as stopped or parked vehi-
cles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will alert you both visually and
acoustically.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
R new vehicles or after a service on the COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Please observe the information in the sec-
tion on running-in the vehicle
(Y page 158).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi- cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 72). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist may:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause Brake Assist to inter-
vene.
Adaptive Brake Assist aids you in braking dur-
ing hazardous situations at speeds above
7 km/h and uses the radar sensor system to
evaluate the traffic situation.
With the help of a sensor system, adaptive
Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in the path of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
If you approach an obstacle and adaptive
Brake Assist has detected a risk of collision,
adaptive Brake Assist calculates the braking
force necessary to avoid a collision. If you
apply the brakes forcefully, adaptive Brake
Assist will automatically increase the braking force to a level suitable for the traffic condi-
tions.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking. The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
:if adaptive Brake
Assist requires particularly high brake pres-
sure, preventive passenger protection meas-
ures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are deployed simultane-
ously.
Up to vehicle speeds of around 250 km/h,
adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting to
moving objects that have already been rec-
ognised as such at least once over the period of observation. Adaptive Brake Assist does
not react to stationary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunction in the radar sensor system, thebrake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
R new vehicles or after a service on the COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Please observe the information in the sec-
tion on running-in the vehicle
(Y page 158).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
General notes
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
only available on vehicles with DISTRONIC.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
extends the functionality of COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST with an automatic braking
function. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS can help you to minimise the risk of a
front-end collision with a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS detects
that there is a risk of a collision, you will be
warned visually and acoustically. In critical
situations COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS also initiates automatic braking.
Function X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS in the on-board computer
(Y page 244).
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
deactivated, the æsymbol appears in the
assistance graphics display.
If the driver's seat belt is fastened, COLLI-
SION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can brake
automatically within a speed range of
between 7 km/h and 200 km/h.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can
also react to stationary obstacles with auto-
matic braking within a speed range of
between 7 km/h and 30 km/h.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
:if the automatic
braking function of COLLISION PREVENTION
ASSIST PLUS intervenes powerfully, preven-
tive passenger protection measures (PRE-
SAFE ®
) are deployed simultaneously.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources R
strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
R new vehicles or after a service on the COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Please observe the information in the sec-
tion on running-in the vehicle
(Y page 158).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle. Adaptive brake lamps
The adaptive brake lights warn following traf- fic in an emergency braking situation:
R by means of flashing brake lamps
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In
this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn- ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning button (Y page 123). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72). 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

ESP
®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72).
ETS/4ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
ETS brakes the drive wheels individually if
they spin. This enables you to pull away and
accelerate on slippery surfaces, for example
if the road surface is slippery on one side. In
addition, more drive torque is transferred to
the wheel or wheels with traction.
ETS remains active when you deactivate
ESP ®
.
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y page 205).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! When testing the electric parking brake
on a braking dynamometer, switch off the
ignition. Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may otherwise destroy the brake system. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the igni-
tion when the electric parking brake is
being tested using a dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on
a 2-axle dynamometer. Before operating
the vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
! Do not tow vehicles with 4MATIC with the
front or rear axle raised.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the front axle raised, it is impor-
tant that you observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 346).
Vehicles with 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with both axles on the ground, it is
important that you observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 347).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åESP®
OFF
warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up continuously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
ESP ®
OFF warning lamp are lit continuously,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 291) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 255).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. Driving safety systems
77Safety Z